Sports · 13 August, 2026 · 2 min read
Álvaro Arbeloa Red-Carded as Fulham Walk Off, Malaga Score Penalty Into Empty Net
Arbeloa was sent off; Fulham walked off before the penalty shootout. Jauregi scored a late penalty to make Málaga level at 2-2.
Fulham refusal: framed as contract disagreement vs travel risk.
10 of 12 outlets skipped it: fulham walked off because penalties would risk missing their return flight.
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Same story, two versions
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Goal
“Fulham claim taking them would have carried a real risk of missing their return flight.”Read the original ↗
The Independent
“We can confirm that prior to the match, both teams agreed that there would not be a penalty shootout in the event of a draw,”Read the original ↗
Goal and The Sun stress travel-flight risk; Independent and AP focus on contract dispute
Arbeloa red, Fulham walk off
Fulham’s preseason match against Malaga at Estadio La Rosaleda in Málaga ended 2-2 after Eneko Jauregi converted a late penalty, but the Costa del Sol Trophy ended in chaos when new Fulham manager Álvaro Arbeloa was red-carded for complaining with the referees and Fulham walked off the pitch. The incident followed a late equaliser after Calvin Bassey was penalised for a handball, and AP said Malaga scored a 90th-minute equalizer for 2-2 before Fulham refused to take part in a penalty shootout.
AP reported that Malaga said a penalty shootout was scheduled, while Fulham said there wasn’t, and Malaga kicked a penalty into an open net as the trophy was decided. The match’s final sequence left Malaga players on the pitch while Fulham did not reappear, and Eneko Jauregi then placed the ball on the spot and converted into an open net before celebrating with the home fans.
Contract dispute fuels farce
Fulham later insisted that both teams agreed that there would not be a penalty shootout if a draw was played out, writing on X: "We can confirm that prior to the match, both teams agreed that there would not be a penalty shootout in the event of a draw." Malaga contested that claim and said "Although a penalty shootout had been scheduled, Fulham left the pitch, claiming that a shootout had not been included in the contract," framing the walk-off as a refusal to follow the scheduled procedure.
AP described Arbeloa being sent off for arguing with the officiating crew at the end of the match, and the Spanish side’s penalty into an open net came after Fulham left the field. SportsJOE similarly described the farcical finish, saying Arbeloa was shown a red card for remonstrating with the referee before heading down the tunnel with his players, who had no interest in completing a penalty shootout to decide the winner.
What happens next for Fulham
With the Costa del Sol Trophy claimed by Malaga after Fulham’s walk-off, Fulham’s immediate next fixture was set for Saturday at Craven Cottage against Stuttgart, according to The Independent. TThe Independent also said Fulham begin their Premier League campaign against Chelsea on Monday 24 August, placing the fallout from the Costa del Sol Trophy incident directly ahead of the start of the league season.T
“Fulham end their 2026/27 preparations against Stuttgart on Saturday at Craven Cottage.”
AP’s account tied the controversy to the end-of-match dispute over whether a shootout was scheduled, with Malaga stating it was and Fulham stating it was not, before Malaga kicked a penalty into an open net. In the aftermath, Fulham’s statement on X reiterated the club’s position that prior agreement ruled out a shootout in the event of a draw, while Malaga’s version maintained that a shootout had been scheduled and that Fulham left the pitch claiming it was not in the contract.